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NITED STATES PATENT TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,926, dated March 11, 1884.

Application filed January 14, 1884.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that we, NAHUM STARKEY and GEORGE WV. GROWTHER, of Amcsbury, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shaft and Axle Connections for Two-Vheeled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates-to that class of passenger-carriages which are mounted upon two wheels only; and it consists in the peculiar devices and the combination thereof by which the shafts are connected with the axle, as will, in connection with the accompanying drawings, be hereinafter fully described, and specifically defined in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on line A A, Fig. 2, transversely to the axle and longitudinally through the rear portion of the shaft and its connecting devices. Fig. 2 is an inverted or under side plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detached side elevation, showing a modification of parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view, also showing a modification of parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line B B, Fig. 4., and as looking toward the top of the sheet therein. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached sectional view taken as in Fig. 1, and showing the flexible link interposed between the shaft and axle.

In said views, (t represents the axle, which is shown as cranked. orhaving a drop center, but may be either thus or straight. An arm, 2), extends horizontally and at right angles from the axle at the opposite sides thereof, and at the proper distance from the hubcollar to receive and support the shaft 0, which is pivotally connected with the rear arm b by means of an eye-plate, d, which is bolted, as shown, to the shaft near its rear end, and which is connected with the arm by pivot-bolt e, which passes through the two parts of the eye of said plate and the interposed eye of the arm, as shown. A plate, f, is secured to the shaft by a bolt, 71, which passes through a 1011- gitudinal slot, 9, in the plate, as shown in Figs. 1, 2. The front end of said plate is rounded" and threaded, as shown at t, and b, shaft 0, plate d,seoured to the shaft and IOO passes through the eyes of stud j, secured in the shaft, and is provided with a screw-nut, as shown. The rear end of said plate f is forked to correspond with the forks of the forward arm I), and the two are connected by link It, by bolts 1, which respectively pass through the eyes of the plate and arm and the link, as shown. In Fig. 1 said link is shown as formed with an interior folded metal plate, Z, and an outer thickness of leather, the respective ends whereof are overlapped and secured by bolt n in a well-known manner.- In Fig. 6 the metal Z only forms thimbles to receive bolts 1), while the leather extends around, and is lapped and secured as in Fig. 1, and when thus formed the elasticity of theleather tends to cushion the respective parts.

Instead of forming arms I) as an integral part of the axle, they may be formed upon a plate, 11, Figs. 4, 5, which by its ears to and clips at can be secured upon the axle; and instead of passing a rounded portion, t, of plate f through a stud, j, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, an angle, f, may be formed at the front end of said plate, while aflat, 15, having a corresponding perforated angle, is bolted to shaft 0 and a bolt, a, inserted therein, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be obvious that by slacking the nut on bolt h and then turning up the nut on part t of plate f (or the nut on bolt to when the parts are constructed as shown in Fig. 3) the plate f will be drawn forward, and the requisite tensio'n may be thereby applied to link L. By means of the connection of shaft 0 with the rearward arm 11 by a pivotal joint between said arm and plate cl the axle is moved forward when in use without backlash or variation in the forward movement of the two, while the pivotal link-connection between the forward arm I) and the shaft allows the latter to rise and fall, as the stepping of the horse demands, without disturbing the equilibrium of the body, which may be mounted upon the axle in any desired manner, the yielding and cushioning effect of link 7; also tending to the above-described result.

e claim as our invention-- 1. In a two-wheeled vehicle, the combina tion of axle a, formed or provided with arms pivotally connected with the rear arm Z), and platef, also secured to the shaft and connected with front arm I) by a link, It all substantially as specified.

2. In combination with axle (1, having arms 7), shaft 0, pivotally connected with the rear arm, and also connected bfv a link with the front arm, and provided with means for adjusting the tension of said link, substantially as specified.

3. In a two-wheeled Yehiele, the combination of axle 0, having arms I), shaft 0, piYotally connected with the rear arm, and a leather or other flexible link uniting said shaft with front man, substantially as specified.

4'. In a two-wheeled Vehicle, the combination of axle a, having arms I), shaft 0, eye-plate (I, secured to the shaft and pivotally connected with rear arm 1), plate f, secured to the shaft and connected by link k with the front axlearin, and formed with slot 9, to receive bolt 71, and also formed with the rounded and threaded part1, extended through stndj, and provided with an adjusting-nut, all substantially as specified.

NAHUM ".DARKEY. GEORGE W. (2110\Wllllili. Witnesses:

Gnonon 1f. Bnroos, FRANK ll. "nrrcnnn. 

